CHAPTER 30: CHAPTER 30: CHANGING CLOTHES IN FRONT OF HIM

"Is that so. Looking at the two of you, you’re a perfect match."

Declan Hawthorne smiled but didn’t respond.

Poppy Hale on the other side had just fetched some wine when a waiter accidentally spilled it on her.

The red wine on the white silk dress was even more striking.

Declan Hawthorne’s eyes paused, "Excuse me."

With that, he walked over to Poppy Hale.

The little bit of desire lingering in Julian Beckett’s heart was also splashed away by that glass of wine.

Sweat dripped from Julian Beckett’s forehead.

Thankfully.

He hadn’t done anything inappropriate just now.

Declan Hawthorne walked up.

"What happened?"

The waiter looked evasive, stammering, "I’m sorry, Miss, let me take you to change clothes."

Someone had given him money earlier to find this lady at the party and splash her with wine.

They said if she asked for compensation, they would pay and also give him an extra twenty thousand.

The waiter was tempted and followed through.

The person was also sure that Poppy Hale wouldn’t have a spare dress to change into.

Poppy Hale sighed, looking at Declan Hawthorne, "Should I just head back?"

She didn’t have another dress to change into.

This was the last one.

Declan Hawthorne’s scrutinizing gaze swept over the somewhat suspicious-looking waiter, holding Poppy Hale’s wrist, "Come with me."

Upstairs, Declan Hawthorne had a room booked.

In the elevator, Declan Hawthorne called someone to send over a dress.

Inside the room, Poppy Hale was a bit surprised.

Considering Declan Hawthorne’s status, he hadn’t reserved a presidential suite in the hotel?

It was just a regular room with a big bed.

Declan Hawthorne saw Poppy Hale standing there, frowned, and said, "Don’t you remember this room?"

This was the room they used to book every time they came out in the past.

Poppy Hale was a bit picky about accommodations; her skin was delicate, and she would get rashes if the bed linens weren’t good. This was the only hotel near the school with a large, clean, hygienic standard.

Over time, Poppy Hale found this room had the best lighting.

Every time they came out, she could open her eyes and see Declan Hawthorne standing in the sunlight.

To her, Declan Hawthorne was all the light in her life. She loved him passionately, liked him, and wanted to give him everything she thought was good.

Unfortunately, he didn’t appreciate any of it, including her.

Poppy Hale indeed hadn’t recognized the room.

The hotel rooms were similar, and after renovations, she hesitated before guessing it was the room they used to book.

"I..."

"Forget it."

Declan Hawthorne interrupted her coldly, "Don’t speak."

He worried that if she spoke, he wouldn’t be able to resist scolding her.

Was she a fool?

The way that man looked at her earlier, couldn’t she see anything strange?

And she planned to smile and walk right into the trap?

Declan Hawthorne took a deep breath, calming his emotions, "Next time you encounter this kind of situation, you don’t need to entertain. I’m not a brainless boss."

Realizing what he was saying, Poppy Hale responded, "Okay, thank you for earlier."

Whether it was for the company or something else, Declan Hawthorne had helped her resolve the situation.

The clothes arrived quickly.

It was a light blue dress, the skirt a bit flared, with lace edges adorned with rhinestones, like a princess’s dress.

"Change."

Declan Hawthorne sat on a chair, watching Poppy Hale, "Right here."

Changing here meant changing in front of him?

Poppy Hale bit her lip, saying nothing.

Changing clothes in front of him, she couldn’t do it.

The man’s gaze swept over Poppy Hale’s dress, looking at the blue evening gown, "You don’t seriously think you can put that dress on by yourself?"

The dress had a complex corset at the back, tied with satin; it needed to be carefully arranged, layer by layer, to be worn properly.

Poppy Hale, alone, indeed wouldn’t be able to wear it.

Her face flushed slightly, suppressing the racing of her heart, "But..."

Declan Hawthorne was impatient, "It’s not like I haven’t seen it before. Consider it as paying for the dress."

Turning her back to him, she took off her clothes and picked up the other dress, needing to turn around again.

Declan Hawthorne drank a sip of water, suppressing the restlessness in his chest.

She looked just like before, very fair, all her moles clearly visible, and there was a small heart-shaped birthmark on her thigh.

Wearing unmatched underwear, but to fit the gown, she wore a thong.

There was much less to cover.

Declan Hawthorne drank another large gulp of ice water.

On her waist was a small scar, perhaps from when she had a child.

He couldn’t imagine what it was like for her to have a child with another man.

The phone rang.

It was a call from Allen Shaw.

Declan Hawthorne gestured for Poppy Hale to continue changing while taking the call, his gaze never leaving her.

"Hello."

His voice was hoarse, sounding as if he was suppressing some beast-like emotions and desires.

Allen Shaw: "You’re not doing something good, are you? What’s with your voice? Want me to call later?"

"Don’t talk nonsense, nothing’s going on."

"I’m returning home this weekend, let’s have a meal together?"

Declan Hawthorne thought for a moment, agreed, then heard Allen Shaw say, "About what you said last time, I’ve thought about it."

"If you didn’t like her, how could you be with her for almost four years? Were you kidnapped?"

Kidnapping was out of the question.

It was he himself, thinking he was clear-headed, watching himself sink.

In this room, she had taken off her clothes many times.

But compared to this, whenever Declan Hawthorne thought of Poppy Hale, he would remember her waiting outside the company where he worked part-time, initially bored, but at the moment she saw him, her eyes lit up like stars.

Radiant, passionate.

Thinking of her liking him, not just liking him.

That fervent love also rushed toward others at one time.

A place in his heart couldn’t help but grow tendrils called jealousy, scratching every part of his body.

Declan Hawthorne pressed his temples.

"Anything else?"

"When I get back, can I borrow your Wrangler?"

"No way."

All cars were fine, except for that one.

Declan Hawthorne didn’t like off-road vehicles, but that one was different from the others.

He couldn’t even explain how it was different; he just didn’t like anyone else touching that car.

"Hanging up now."

Ending the call, Declan Hawthorne stepped over to the now-dressed Poppy Hale, tidying her dress.

Cool fingers brushed her back, pulling the satin corset. Declan Hawthorne’s voice came from behind her.

"Is it tight?"

"It’s... okay."

Arranging the satin properly, the waist was almost at its limit, Declan Hawthorne couldn’t help but frown.

"Doesn’t your husband ever send you money?"

The man’s financial status was not bad.

Declan Hawthorne had checked; his income should not allow his wife and daughter to lead such a frugal life.

Poppy Hale softly said, "I don’t like to take other people’s money."

"Your husband is also ’other people’?"

She turned to meet Declan Hawthorne’s eyes, her smile light.

"Even in a close relationship, spending the other person’s money is embarrassing, wasn’t that what you used to say?"

In the past, he had said that spending a girlfriend’s money was embarrassing.

The boomerang from years ago hit him now.

Declan Hawthorne lowered his head, leaning close to Poppy Hale’s face.

"Do you want me to remind you of what we used to do here?"